It Must Be Spring

The Smell of Spring

It must be spring in Ketchikan, because things are being cleaned up, fixed up and made ready for the first of our many visitors we will have this summer. It seems that every shop in the downtown area is busy bringing in they stock and cleaning off the winter dust and dirt. Most of the major projects that have been underway over the winter are coming to an end. The dock work on Berth #1 has really made progress in the last week and should be completed on time. Also, the work on the downtown Waterfront Promenade Walkway is coming along and should be done in a week or so.
One of the many ways we know that spring has sprung is by the skunk cabbage shoots coming up in all the soggy areas around and along the shore of the many creeks and lakes in the area. You can smell them from quite a distant and so do the black bears. When your out in these areas be sure to keep alert, because black bears feast on the tender roots of these plants after coming out of the den. I did see something that kind of threw me off a little while I was on my daily hike.  I saw several salmonberry bushes already had their flowers on them. It must be the fact that we had a fairly mild winter. This just means we'll be having berries soon. Time to brake out the canner and start collecting jars for this years jams and jellies.

Early Flowers Equal Early Berries

I have always looked forward to spring time in Southeast Alaska. It's what sold me on making Ketchikan my home and I've had no regrets at all. Spring time is such a great time here. Everything is being reborn or renewed. The forest is coming to life, you see the new growth on the Sitka Spruce, the new growth tips are made into jam, the cedar trees and all the flowering plants that are a part of the Tongass National Forest. The arrival of the 140 different species of birds that call SE. Alaska home for the summer. I love hearing and seeing the flocks of geese flying over head, because with them come the many beautiful hummingbirds and we have several species of them visit every summer. So, here's to Spring, the coming of warmer weather, sunny skies(fingers crossed),plenty of fresh fish and boat loads of visitors to Ktown. Get yourself out and enjoy the arrival of our Alaska spring.

Till next time,
The K-townKing